Let’s go ahead and state the obvious: food is getting more expensive than ever. As the 2024 presidential election nears, I’ve been listening to political debates that often center the rising cost of grocery prices. And throughout my work with my patients in psych settings, I’m constantly reminded of increasing poverty levels and the lack of access to affordable foods. This has led the average American to focus in more on shopping for groceries on a budget.
While I have my own thoughts on how these issues can be addressed on a systemic level, I also recognize that there is immediate need for relief. One of my favorite parts of my job is that I get to guide folks as they think about how they spend their money on food. Shopping for groceries on a budget is not easy, but with some forethought and planning you can lessen the burden on your wallet when you head into the grocery store.
Table of Contents
High Level Planning for Shopping for Groceries on a Budget
Before we get into individual groceries that are high in nutrients and low in cost, let’s first think about strategy. If you go to the grocery store once a week, start by looking at your schedule and considering how many meals you need to plan for. Maybe you’ll be eating out once or twice, and maybe you need to have some convenience items on hand because you won’t have time to cook.
Once you’ve mapped out your week, think about the food groups and meals that you’ll need to cover. What will you want to eat in terms of starches and grains, fruits and veggies, proteins, and dairy? Where will those food groups fit into your meals and snacks, and can you buy one ingredient in bulk that can be used in different ways at multiple meals and snacks? Look for deals that are available at your local stores and find out what’s in season. Shopping for deals and seasonal items can lead you to eating a more varied, nutrient dense diet because you aren’t always reaching for the same things when you go shopping.
Affordable, Nutrient Dense Foods
Now that we’ve talked strategy and planning, here are some of my favorite affordable yet nutrient dense grocery store items.
Canned or Dry Beans and Lentils
Beans and lentils can be counted as both a vegetable and a protein. There’s a wide variety available, ranging from chickpeas to black beans to red lentils. These can be used in tacos, stews, chilis, and dips when pureed. Dried beans and lentils will always be cheapest, but they do require extra prep and cooking time. Canned varieties are still affordable and make a great addition to any meal. They’re excellent sources of fiber, folate, and potassium.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is one of the foods that I always encourage my patients to grab at the store, especially when they are experiencing food insecurity or may not have the ability to cook due to living situation. It’s a shelf stable food that provides a lot of calories in a small package. The fat content promotes satiety, and it has a bit of fiber too. Peanut butter can be repurposed in endless ways – use it as a dip with crackers and apples, or add it to your oatmeal, a sandwich, baked goods, and smoothies. It can even be used to make a savory peanut stew with the beans you already bought. 🙂
Edamame
I love keeping frozen edamame in my freezer. It’s protein rich with iron, folate, fiber, and antioxidants. The reason I don’t group frozen edamame in with the frozen veg category is that it provides a good source of plant protein that can stay in your freezer. Edamame can be eaten alone as a snack, added to stir fries, or in a rice bowl. Buy it shelled or in the pods.
Frozen and Canned Vegetables
There are two great reasons to buy frozen and canned produce – one is that they are cheaper, and another is that they last longer. Especially as it relates to frozen produce, nutrient levels are often higher than you can find in fresh produce because they are harvested and frozen at peak ripeness. Nutrients are then preserved in the freezing process. Further, frozen and canned veggies do not need to be washed or chopped. They’re also available year round. Pick your favorites and stock your freezer and pantry so that you always have some vegetables available.
Frozen Fruit
Similar to frozen vegetables, frozen fruits are a cheaper and more convenient way to get in your produce. And also like frozen vegetables, frozen fruits are high in nutrients and can help reduce food waste. Personally, I like to add frozen blueberries to my oatmeal and frozen mango or peaches to smoothies.
Rice
Rice is an affordable carbohydrate source that is incredible versatile and easily stored for long periods of time. The difference between brown and white rice is that the bran has been washed away in white rice. While this technically makes brown rice more nutritious, white rice is often fortified with nutrients that were lost in that process. The takeaway: choose whichever variety you like!
Potatoes
Potatoes are yet another carbohydrate source that offers fiber, potassium and vitamin C. They’re cheap and available in a wide variety. I like to look for purple potatoes, Japanese sweet potatoes, and Yukon golds simply because I love the taste. My favorite way to prepare them depends on the day and the meal – they can be mashed, sliced and baked in the oven until crispy, or baked whole and then used as the base of a meal.
Oats
Another food item that I always encourage my patients to consider is oats. Especially when bought in bulk, oats are an affordable and nutrient rich food. As a whole grain, their fiber content helps manage blood sugar spikes. They are a great source of manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium. They also contain B vitamins! Depending on what you plan to use them for, look for different varieties available like steel cut, rolled, and instant.
Eggs
This item might not always belong on a list of affordable foods, as the price has been volatile in recent years. However, compared to many other sources of animal protein, eggs are still on the more affordable side. One large egg contains 6 grams of protein. They also offer choline, carotenoids, and fat. Research has indicated that eating eggs in the morning promotes satiety throughout the day. While they may be on the expensive side right now, they also last a long time in the fridge and pack a big punch of nutrients in a small package.
Tinned Fish
Tinned fish is an excellent source of protein and it’s very budget friendly. Canned tuna, for example, runs at about $1-$2 individually, but prices will go down if you buy in bulk. About 3 oz of tinned fish provides around 20-30 grams of protein along with omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re concerned about mercury content, make sure you’re varying your protein intake so that you don’t rely entirely on fish!
Looking for more strategies for optimizing nutrition with limited time and on a limited budget? Head over to my Nutrition page for more.
